Lois & Clark Forums Forums Fan Fiction Lois & Clark Fanfic FDK: Erased (18/24)

In light of the entire world basically being quarantined, I thought I might try to alleviate some of the boredom with a mid-week chapter. Stay safe, stay well, my friends.

Congratulations. It took twenty years and eighteen chapters to get this far, but you've rounded the far turn and you're heading up the back stretch. The finish line is in sight and there's a good shot at fielding a qualified winner.

I can see Clark fighting the knowledge of his being Superman. I can easily understand why he didn't want to be the hero who he has believed let him down. And his trauma during his time of remembering reads as completely natural.

I felt for Clark as he relived those electroshock sessions. And I felt for Lois and Martha as they waited for Clark to do something, anything, that would tell them if he would accept the truth or slide back toward catatonia. I'm glad you let him understand the truth.

Now he needs to check out his other powers and make sure he has a good handle on them. It wouldn't do for him to hug his mother and accidentally crush her rib cage. And his heat vision control needs to be locked down before he burns down Lois' apartment.

Three questions remain in my mind. First, will Clark remember who instigated his captivity, torture, and time in the asylum? Second, if he does remember, will our heroes be able to find enough proof to convince the honest skeptic of the identity of his nemesis? Third, will Clark become Superman again?

I think the answer to #1 will be "yes." It would not only put Lois on Luthor's trail, it would set all of the Supers in motion to gather evidence against the Luthor the deleted obscenity. And it wouldn't have to be an overt effort - an underground, quiet investigation would be much better for everyone.

The answer to #2 depends, of course, on #1, but it follows that having the entire superhero community working the case, even given the amount of time already passed, would greatly enhance the chances of getting that elusive evidence they need to proceed legally. And I sincerely hope that's the route Lois lets them take.

If the answer to #3 is "yes," it would discomfit Lex Luthor no end, irrespective of his political successes. It might even push him into a foolish act (or a series of them) which would result in his removal from the Oval Office to a prison cell. And Nigel is still around and is one who must be treated with the utmost respect and caution, much as a rabid Great Dane must be treated. I expect that Batman and Wonder Woman might be of use in that part of the story. Batman probably has a plan to push Luthor out of office as soon as proof of the president's perfidy is presented.

Given the amount if time Superman has been gone, however, and the fact that Clark Kent is now believed dead and buried by the world at large, it might not be the best idea to take up that mantle once more. Clark's hesitancy about his former relationship with Lois is telling. At this point, he's grateful for her help, deeply impressed with her tenacity and determination to make him whole again, but he's not in love with her. He's a different person now, with far different experiences and attitudes toward life. He may not want to shoulder that burden now, and I doubt that Lois would push him into donning the Suit again. She'd rather have Clark than Superman, even if they're "just" friends. And Martha must be taken into consideration, too. She's getting her son back little by little, and she won't want to give him up. It's a quandary for all concerned, and I'm eager to see how you handle the situation.

I think you've captured Lex Luthor quite well, DC. He's amoral, sociopathic, selfish, megalomaniacal, power-mad, and I'm sure he's a bad tipper. He must be taken down, dealt with permanently, although I don't advocate that Clark kill him.

Lois might save everyone the trouble. She's close to obsession over finding Clark's great enemy and proving her case. I hope she succeeds without taking Luthor's life - I'd hate for her to pay that ultimate penalty for her revenge. Martha should remind her that the best revenge is living well, and a good life between Clark and Lois as a couple would be the best revenge ever foisted on a villain. Lois doesn't need to cross that line - she's crossed so many others that her taking a life might break her. That would be an understandable but painful outcome for the readers.

So, while this is both very welcome and quite outstanding, we're still quarantined. When's the next chapter coming?

Aww, thanks for reading, Terry! For Clark, admitting he's Superman goes against everything he was conditioned to deny, just as he WOULD have denied being Clark when Lois first found him, if he'd been able to.

Clark will (eventually) reach out to the other heroes for help, but right now, he's got nothing to give them. No leads. No suspicions of who put him in the asylum. He's (once again) quite helpless in the situation. The question is: WILL he remember? I might just be evil enough to let Luthor get away with it...I mean, he already has, for 21 years. What's another 20 or 30 years? I mean, the guy's pushing 70 by now, right?

You're dead-on when you wonder if it's smart to bring Superman back. And Clark will be torn on the matter. On the one hand, Superman is needed in the world. On the other, he can't possible explain such a long absence.

He's not really hesitant about his relationship with Lois, either then or now. He loves her. He's unsure about himself and what he's still missing and that makes him scared to pursue an actual relationship with Lois at this point. He may not remember his fear that she might only love him for the Superman part of him, but he's afraid of giving only a part of himself to her now, because he still isn't completely "whole." Martha...well, Clark will always keep his mom in the back of his mind, but realistically, neither she nor Lois should influence his decision to either resurrect Superman or leave the hero in an unmarked grave.

I'm glad you're enjoying my characterization of Lex. I used to be afraid of writing for him, but now I can't help but have a lot of fun doing so. I'm hoping that you'll continue to enjoy where I take him in the remaining chapters. He still has plenty to do...

New chapter is coming this weekend. Today was the official beginning of the school's distance learning program...and I had two very grumpy 1st graders. Our first meltdown over having "homework" occurred at 8am...before we left the bedroom...an hour before the teachers emailed the curriculum to the parents. So, I have my hands pretty full. Plus, if I post it all in one sitting, we'll have nothing to do in the coming weeks. (Praying the posting schedule outlasts the virus...)